Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Much to the dismay of many of you forumites, i am refinishing a 4000. I'd like to get the paint off the headstock prior to sending it out so that I can make a decision on the wings.

Any advise?

Personnally I'd avoid chemical strippers and just go the sandpaper route. I'd just take my time and wetsand it with 400 grit. Only sand as much as you need to see if it has the wings you want and leave the rest up to whoever is stripping it for the refinish. Better yet, since you are getting it refinished either way, just have the painter strip it and check it out before making the final decision on paint.

I'd go with Brian's appraoch, I'm assuming you want to see if she has Walnut wings or not. If that's the case you could still make that call after it's been professionally stripped.

If you do decide to do a little yourself, work on the back of the headstock, between a pair of the tuner holes.

some chemicals will remove the glue that is holding various wood parts together ...

one of my favorite basses is my refinished 4003s5 ... the more rounded body and the tung oil finish make this a cool bass to play ...

So Jeff, did you paint those wings or is that stain? They look good by the way.

it is minwax red mahogony stain with lacquer over the top ... the rest is tung oil ... and the fret board still has the original factory finish ... if you put an oil finish over the stain it will usually partially ruin the quality of the stain ...

this was my first attemp at staining headwings ... the oil finish damaged the stain underneath ...

Where is Ted when you need him?